


No More Pretending

by MysticallyGallavich



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Angst, Bodyguard!Mickey, Love, M/M, MobCentric, findingourway, nomorepretending, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-01 20:46:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15781815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticallyGallavich/pseuds/MysticallyGallavich
Summary: Hi, I really love your writing &I was just wondering if I could make a request where Ian's the well known, badass son of a mob boss, who hires Mickey to protect &keep an eye on Ian due to his Bipolar rearing its ugly head &even though Ian's a huge pain in his ass more often than not he cant help but find himself falling for this, stupid, lanky ass, ginger who has such a massive heart despite his appearance& a smile that can brighten up any room, with Ian reciprocating&a happy ending, please?? :)





	No More Pretending

Ian hated his father. No not Frank, the drunk and addicted to everything that wasn’t his kids lowlife. No Frank was a piece of shit father sure but he was nothing compared to Ian’s real father in Ian’s younger days he had hated Frank. Had swore he would give anything to have a different set of parents. He supposed they all did really. Careful what you wish for. When he was a teenager, due to his and lip taking their own tests, it was proven that Ian was in fact not Franks but instead he was Clayton’s.  Franks brother…really Monica? He supposed his middle name should have been a dead give away.   At first look Ian would say Clayton was too mice, his life was too perfect for Ian to ever be a part of it.  Well appearances are shit and he should have known that.

Clayton left him alone for a long while until Ian got sick. When his actions embarrassed Clayton. Nobody even knew he was his son but Clayton did. And that was all that really matters. Clayton wasn’t anything like Ian had originally assumed. Ian caught onto that fast.  Clayton was a scary guy, the head of the only mob still sitting pretty on the north side of Chicago. Only sitting pretty because bad things tended to happen to anybody that crossed him.  He had grown tired of Ian’s antics pretty quickly and had practically kidnapped him and send him off to a clinic pretty early on. Ian thought if he got medicated he would be left alone. Wrong.

Clayton hired a bodyguard to keep a watchful eye on Ian. Which one of his degenerates did he send to look after Ian night and fucking day? None other than Mickey Milkovich.

It had to be Mickey…didn’t it. Ian supposed that’s how his life really went right? Growing up on the southside, shit parents, Gay…bipolar and to top it all off…his bodyguard was the one person that had ever had the pleasure of taking Ian’s heart and ripping it to shreds and stomping on it.  Ian hated Mickey, hated every fiber of who he was now. Not only had Mickey looked him in the face and told him he meant nothing, walked away from him…but then he starts working for…Clayton. Ian could overlook the fact that Mickey never loved him, never wanted him as more than a fuck. He could deal with that, it was his luck anyway. But this…he was now watching Ian's every move, he was doing what Clayton told him to do, he was telling Ian what to do and lecturing him like a child. Fuck him! Fuck all of them in fact.

-x-x-x-x-x

 Mickey groaned openly as he plopped down on his sisters couch. “Your best friend is a pain in my fucking ass.” He says grabbing a beer and enjoying his small break from Gallagher watch. It’s what he liked to call it. Ever since the moment Clay had called him in to tell him his new task was anything and everything Ian Gallagher. 

_“Excuse me?” Mickey snapped looking at the man who was his boss, his mentor…his savior really. He owed him everything at this point. Whatever was asked of him, he would have to do, he knew that but what the fuck._

_“Ian Gallagher…you know him…correct.” Clayton raised his eyebrow, that looks, he knew. He knew that the interest he had in Ian was far from innocent and in this moment Mickey hated him for it._

_“You know that I do. What the fuck is this about?”_

_“He’s in danger. People have found out about our connection…they will be going after him. I need you to watch him.”_

_“and make sure he isn’t doing anything you deem unsavory? I’m not gonna be his babysitter. He hates me.” He said sure of that. He saw the way Ian looked at him these days. This was going to blow up in somebody's face and he would rather it not be his._

_“Do whatever you have to do to keep him safe.”_

_“Including watching him fuck every twink this side of the river? No fuckin thanks.” Mickey grunted._

_“You seem interested in that….who my son fucks?” Clayton spied, knowingly and Mickey groaned._

“Well, how would you feel Mick?” Mandy asked him and he was pulled from his memories of how he got into this fucking mess.

“What are you talking about?” Mickey eyed her skeptically…what did Gallagher tell her. He was going to kill him.

“Oh come on Mickey…you broke his heart and betrayed him. Least you could do is own it. Even if its just to me.” She said crossing her arms and he was furious. How fucking dare he!? How dare he tell his baby sister about the past.

“Don’t look like that asshole. He didn’t say shit. But contrary to popular belief I’m not that fucking stupid Mikhalo.  My best friend shows up on my doorstep, beat up, crying, face swollen…and then he won't even speak your name for months, not until he found out who you were working for, and even then not really until you took this particular job. I'm not a fucking rocket scientist jackass…but IM not stupid.” She says crossing her arms and he sighs.  “You told him he meant nothing. He didn’t have to tell me it was you…but how could you do that to him?” Mickey rubbed his eyes not wanting to think about this.

He had had no choice that’s why. Terry was coming after them. That’s why.

“Mands, I just…it’s complicated okay.”

“Okay fine, but maybe try to talk to him, or this job is gonna suck a lot for you Mick. He knows he has power. You are the help. Sure Clayton loves you but Ian is blood. He’s going to use it. And he feels like you betrayed him…working for the one person he hates more than anyone in this world. How would you feel if Ian worked for…Him.” She dint have to say his name, he knew who she was referring to. He hadn't thought of that, but Clayton wasn’t terry. He was nothing like him. She might have had a point though. He wouldn’t have reacted well. He had to fix this.

_“Let me be clear..you don’t have a choice. You are a smart boy.” Clayton said bringing out some of his dark side, but it was no matter, he wasn’t scared._

_“oh yeah, this sounds like a disaster, what if he gets drunk and comes on to me…not saying he would ever touch me again…but if he did…I won't deny him. You know that.” Mickey admits, he has to say this. Clayton, he might respect but he knows what he is capable of._

_“I am aware. Do not let your feelings get in the way of his safety. Afterall didn’t you make this deal with me, for just that. To guarantee his safety. Both of yours.”_

 

\--x---x---

Ian looked up as Mickey stalked in and he groaned. Once a week he got a break from Mickey for a few hours and now he was back early. What kind of karmic justice bullshit was this? Mickey set the back off greasy food in front of him and Ian glared. What he had to feed him now too?

“What is this shit?” Ian asked.

“Your favorites asshole, we need to talk. This is way outta hand.”

“Are you quitting?” Ian asked.

“No. I'm not fucking quitting. I have a…look me and you, neither one of us are fond of this bullshit arrangement okay? So I’ll make you a deal…I won't tell you what to do every minute of the day, I don’t dictate your life unless it puts you in dancer. In return, if I tell you something is seriously, you fucking listen. Capiche’?”  Mickey asks.   


“and what do I get out of this?”

“to be alive dickbreath.” Mickey takes a deep breath and remembers Mandy’s words.  “Look I know you don’t like me okay…I know. I get it, I understand it. You don’t have to like me, just let me protect you.”  Mickey pleads, almost begging and Ian takes notice. The softness in his eyes.

“don’t like you? You betrayed me, I will never like you; But fine whatever.”

  
“I didn’t betray you, Ian.” Mickey stood firm.

“Oh right…you never carred, I never meant anything to you..how can you betray someone who you never gave a damn about. Alright, well me and my warm mouth are going to go eat over here. Just leave me alone.” Ian says and sits in the far corner of his room and Mickey wants to tell him, wants to tell him everything but he cant.

Instead Mickey cant help himself. “Did you know that Mandy knew about us?” He comments offhandedly. What else was he supposed to say? Ian looks up in horror. He drops his attitude and his food.

“I didn’t…Mickey, I didn’t.” He is stuttering and Mickey is confused, he looks so scared like he thought Mickey would do something to harm him at the revelation. Then Mickey remembers the fight, the way his fist collided with Ian's jaw at the mere mention of telling anyone, of being anything than what they were and he cringes flinching.

“I know.” He speaks low.

“I wouldn’t do that, no matter how I feel about you, I wouldn’t do that to get back at you okay?”

“I know Ian, I know. She told me she just figured it out.” Ian nods but his facial expression doesn’t change he just sits there in silence.

“You’ll only tell me its important if it really is right?” Ian asks and Mickey nods. They don’t speak the rest of the night.

 

Mickey was annoyed. After days of watching Ian fuck anything, he could get his hands on. He was actually thankful when Clayton called and told him to put Ian on lockdown. That meant he had two choices, lock Ian up with his current twink, who he was about to fuck…or kick him the fuck out. 

“Alright, lockdown…you…get out.” He says and just as Ian is about to protest, he looks in Mickey's eyes, and nods. With the lockdown and neither of them wanting to actually talk to each other, ian just sits and drinks…which he's not supposed to do, but Mickey had promised to keep his mouth shut about shit like that. Although he should have said something because now, Ian has started talking and he won't shut the fuck up.

“I loved you, ya know. You took everything I was, everything I was meant to be and destroyed it. I was supposed to love, to be loved, now I hate everything about it, about everything. I just want the pain to stop but it cant because I still.Fuck it hurts to love you, Mickey. Why didn’t you love me? Why couldn’t you ever love me? What is wrong with me?” He says as he’s closing his eyes and Mickey wants to cry.

“You didn’t do anything wrong Ian..I did…I should have left you alone, I should have but…I couldn’t. It wasn’t just you. I wish you could know that. You weren’t the only one who felt what we had.” He says and then hears Ian snore. He already knew he was falling asleep or he would have never said it. Admitting things like that to a passed out Ian was one thing, a whole nother to coherent Ian.

\--

It was a dream, it had to be. Ian was sure of it. He had thought he heard Mickey say that he felt it too, that he…felt something for Ian but looking across the room at Mickey now this morning, he knew that couldn’t be true. Mickey didn’t move, didn’t say anything. Didn’t even seem like he wanted to say anything, he just sat there like always, reading his paper or whatever the fuck he was reading and sipping coffee until he got word from his boss.

\--

Ian and Mickey had been getting along as of late. No more awkward conversations, just pretty much them not talking to each other unless needed, Mickey trying to avoid Ian anytime he went somewhere where he knew Ian would be getting laid. This was a mistake, because Ian caught on, which meant it gave him the perfect opportunity to escape his protective detail and do whatever he wanted. That it what resulted in Mickey frantically searching for Ian, as he got the call from some of the other men, that someone close by was after Ian. Of fucking course they were, because this job was the worst job he had ever hade, he rushed to find Ian, and finally he did find him, but what he saw made his blood run cold. He had no time to think, a madman was holding Ian at gunpoint. Ian looked terrified, Mickey could feel his body aching. He was edging closer when the gun went off and his whole body froze. No…Ian. No.

 

Ian closed his eyes at the inevitable, the bullet was coming for him, Mickey had been right all along and he was too stubborn to listen to him because he was mad, so fucking mad. He waited… but nothing, and then, his eyes were forced open by the body falling onto him, his eyes went wide and what he saw was Mickey, his hand on his shoulder blood pouring out of his arm. He had…taken a bullet for him…

“Mickey? No…Mickey why the fuck did you do that?” He asked, he looked at the man who had been the shooter who was now on the ground bleeding himself. Cussing Mickey. Mickey rolled his eyes.

“Hey army, do me a favor. Take my gun and shoot that fucking mouthy fucker…or hand it to me…because if he doesn’t SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Ian had never shot an actual person before, but this fucker had tried to kill him, he had shot Mickey. Ian held up the fun and shot the fucker inn the mouth, just because he wanted to.

“What should do it,” Ian says leaning down to Mickey. “Why did you do that? It was meant for me Mick..not you.”

“I’m fine, it’s my job. Can we get me to a hospital though? I need some fucking morphine.”

\--

Ian waits until he is settled, and after Clayton yelled at him on the phone for a good long while, before making it into Mickey’s room.

“tell me why?” he asks, tears are in his eyes, unshed. “If you say it’s your fucking job…”

“It’s not about the job. I mean protectin you is my job but there's a reason he chose me, Ian”

“Why?”  Ian had always wanted to know.

“Because protecting you isn’t just a job for me, and he knows that.”

\--

That night Mickey dreamt of what started it all. The day that Terry found about about Ian Gallagher. Mickey didnt know how he knew but when he had come home that day, murderous, in a rage, angry, Mickey didn’t know what to do. He knew he had to stop terry before he got to Ian. He was on a mission.

It wasn’t an idea that had come lightly. The plan to set this all in motion. It all had to work. He had shown up at Clayton, and begged him to save his son from this monster.

_“I will do whatever you ask, just save him damn it!”_

_“You love him”_

_“I don’t know what you're talking about. I don’t love him.”  
_ \--

Ian sat in the hospital room all night and into the morning, watching Mickey, Mickey had saved his life. Sure it was his job, but even had admitted it was more than that. Protecting him..had Mickey chose this? What was he missing? All he could remember was that night.

_“You cant do this Mick. Just walk away from this.” Ian says pointing between the both of them. Why was Mickey doing this? Nothing had happened, everything had been finding the morning before. They had finally been getting closer._

_“This? What is this Ian? We are fucking, It’s done. You are nothing to me, We have been through this.” Mickey said, no emotion on his face._

_“We back to that shit. No. You don’t mean that. Just tell me what is happening…why are you doing this…I know you L…” that was the first hit to his cheek._

_“That what you think? That’s what you think this is?  It’s nothing, we are nothing.” Mickey screamed._

Ian shook himself from his memory as Mickey opened his eyes. He felt the tears fall from his cheeks. He didn’t understand anything then and he understood less now.

“What’s wrong? It’s just a bullet.” Mickey tried to joke and Ian shook his head.

“I don’t get it, Mick. I meant nothing, we meant nothing, why would you step in front of a bullet for me? You said it was more than your job, I don’t understand Mickey.” He says shaking his head.

“It is my job red, to protect you. That’s true. I would have protected anybody…probably better than I protected you. He’s going to have my head for this ya know?”

“You saved me…how would he?”

“Because I promised. That was the deal to never let the past get in the way of protecting you. And that’s what I was doing…I should have fucking been there, you shouldn’t have been able to slip away.” Mickey says looking away.

“You saved me. What is it with you and Clayton?”  Ian doesn’t know what to think anymore.

“He saved us, Ian. You hate him because you don’t know him, you don’t know what he did.” Mickey says and Ian just stares at him for a minute. What the hell is he talking about?

“What? Saved us? The only thing he ever did was sleep with his brother's life and create me. Then try to control me much too late.”

“that isn’t true Ian…He took care of terry.” Ian is shocked, he hadn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since Mickey had threatened to go after frank before his father found out about them.

“What are you talking about Mickey?” He asks and Mickey shakes his head.

“Terry knows about you okay? He knew about what we were doing. He was going to find you, it wouldn’t have taken long, he passed out drunk that night after he made sure I knew what he thought of his faggot son. After he…it doesn’t matter okay. I didn’t know what to do…so I found Clayton. I knew who he was, what he could do. And I knew you were family. So I made a deal.” Mickey admits.

“A deal for what?” Ian is in shock. Terry knew and somehow they were still alive. Is that who was after Ian, but no that didn’t fit because this was a long time ago he was sure. Before Mickey had ended it. Mickey ended it…because of terry. As that sank into Ian's head he no longer knew what to think about anything anymore.

“I work for him, in exchange, he took care of the terry situation. All I know is Terry is gone, and we are all better for it. It doesn’t matter after that.”

“So your in debt to Clayton forever, because of me. Because Terry found out about me. No wonder you couldn’t feel…nevermind.”

“Not forever, Five years. Not that I mind, I like my job…well until that fuckhead grew a since of humor and made me a fucking bodyguard to the most difficult human being in the world.” Mickey jokes and Ian shakes his head.

“Did you…before he found out…did you ever feel anything for me?” Ian asks standing up and backing up a little prepared for the final blow to his heart.

“I never stopped feeling things for you, Gallagher.”  Shockwaves shocked Ian’s system. What did he just say?

\--

Ian hadn’t been able to say much after that, but he had sat with Mickey for a while before leaving and on the way out he saw Clayton sitting on a bench outside.

“You won't hurt him for this,” Ian said behind his biological father who had never been anything to him really.

“No, I won't.” Clayton says without looking up. “Somebody will pay for this, but it won't be Mickey.”

“Me then?” Ian asks coming to face him and he sees this sad and sullen face on Clayton.

“No. that what you think of me?” Clayton asks looking up into his eyes. Ian almost thinks his expression is that of hurt.

“He says you saved me, him, from Terry.”

“We don’t speak of things like that Ian. Just know…sometimes you make deals with the devil to get things done. That’s how you see me right? Don’t worry, he will be free from his services as I promised. I understand making him keep watch over you wasn’t a good idea.”

“You’re taking him away? No. I don’t want anyone else watching me. I’ll behave this time.” Ian shakes his head at the thought of not seeing Mickey now. He has so much to sort through, so much to make Mickey understand. So much that Mickey owes him in explanations. He wasn’t done yet.

“I’m not taking him anywhere. He needs to recover. You can come to the house and watch over him if you’d like. He can’t protect you if he can't shoot his gun. He can't protect you the way he needs to if he’s getting too involved. It’s simple.”  Ian really didn’t understand anything but he figured he would argue later.

\--

Mickey comes home a week later, well, to Clayton. He is surprised when Lila tells him Ian is here to see him. He knows that Ian has never stepped foot in this house. He knows that. He looks up when Ian walks into his room and watches as he sits down next to Mickey in the empty spot on the bed.

“Clayton got me a new bodyguard. He’s annoying.” Ian starts and Mickey laughs.

“Just don’t be too difficult over there red.” Mickey sits up a little, Wincing as he hits his shoulder. Fucking shit hurt more than he remembered it hurting the last time he got shot.

“He says you can't do it anymore after you heal. But I could come to see you here.” Mickey nods at him. He knew that Clayton was disappointed in him. He was disappointed in himself. Ian could have been hurt, he couldn’t bare that thought.

“I need you to be honest with me,” Ian says.

“Okay.”

“You keep saying things that make me think things. I just need to know the truth, Mickey. So I can let this go.” Ian turns his head away from Mickey.

 

“the truth…Terry was going to kill you, so I made a deal. Not because I was saving myself but because protecting you was everything, is everything okay?”

“But why?”

“Because when you love someone you protect them. It’s simple.” Mickey sees Ian whip his head around, his eyes wide. At this point, he didn’t care about trying to hide it.

“and you….you said I meant nothing.”

“I lied. I couldn’t deal with it then.”

“and now it doesn’t matter. We could have been together, figured it out, but now you have tied yourself to Clayton. It will never happen, he won't allow it.” Ian said sadly. Mickey loved him, he loved him and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

Mickey visibly rolls his eyes at Ian and motions for him to come closer, Ian does, he cant resist. Maybe this time it will be easier to let him go, maybe, now that he knows he isn’t the only one in pain, he can cope better.

What he doesn’t expect is for Mickey to pull him down with his good arm and kiss him, moaning into his mouth.

“Fuck I missed that,” Mickey says, pulling him back in and kissing him until they can’t breathe.

“Ian Gallagher, I love you, and I will never lie about that again.”

\--

Ian lifts his head up when Clayton enters the room later that night. Mickey is asleep but curled against his chest.  Ian’s eyes widen. He knows what Mickey said but that didn’t change anything he was trying to come up with an excuse as to why he was cuddled up with Mickey right now. 

“We were just chatting and he fell asleep,” Ian says. And Clayton chuckles.

 

“Mhm, looks like a lot more than that. Finally give the guy a chance then?”

 

“W..what…you…” Ian is cut off again by Clayton's laugh.

“What? Know why I had to protect you from Terry? Yes. I know.”  Ian just stares at him a good long while before Clayton smiles.

“Was just checking in. but Ian before I go. He may look tough but that heart of his isn’t. He’s been waiting a long time to find a way to earn your forgiveness. Just let him love you.” He says and then he’s gone.

Wait what???

=x=x=x=x

(Three Months Later)

Ian and Mickey are lounging around Mickey’s apartment, Softly making out here and there. Enjoying being together, in their own little bubble.

“How’s it feel now that the threat has been neutralized?” Mickey asks smiling at his boyfriend. After so long it was really good to be able to call him that.

“It feels good, although I kind of miss you looking over my shoulder all the time.” Ian laughs. Now that he could go out as he pleases without the constant watch, he only missed one thing. Mickey being the one that was constantly at his side. Mickey had his own orders now that didn’t involve Ian, which made Ian worry about him in his line of work.

“I have good news though,” Mickey says, his eyes shining. Ian waits. “Clayton called this morning. My new assignment is pretty legit. Said I deserved a break, so he’s having me run his legit club. No mob stuff for a while for me. Just club manager.”  Ian smiled at that. And he kissed Mickey. He didn’t say that he knew that Mickey had put in that request to make Ian feel more comfortable, he didn’t have to. Just having him here with him…finally being his was enough.

 


End file.
